Coating machine for collapsible tubes



May 13, 1947. F. REMINGTON Er AL comma MACHINE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES 6 Shee'c.s--Shecac Filed Sepjb. 1, i945 Zwm%r FREDERIC Remma'rom HND RICHHRD FLTHRTHGLIH,

May 13,1947. F. REMINGTON El AL COATING MACHINE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Sept. 1, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 I ji i'ezfiam- FREDERIC REMINGTON ND *f RICHHRD RTHRTHGLIH,

May 13, 1947. F. RE MINGTON ET AL I COATING MACHINE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Sept. 1, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 j U?Z% FREDERIC REMINGTON 6N0 N RmHHRD HTHRTHGMH,

vEr gwflflw gy y M y 9 F. REMINGTON EI'AL COATING MACHINE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES 6 Sheets- Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 1, 1945 zi vezfifla -vERlc Rsmmemm ND RlCHRRD HTRRTRGLIH, J8

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COATING MACHINE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Sept. 1, 1945 e Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 13,1947

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Frederic Remington, Elizabeth, and Richard A.

Tartaglia, East Orange, N. J assignors to Peerless Tube Company, Bloomfield, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 1, 1945, Serial No. 614,046

18 Claims.

1 This invention relates to a machine for automatically applying coatings; for example, wax or lacquer, to the interior walls of collapsible tubes for any desired purpose, particularly to prevent contamination of the contents of the tubes by v the metal of which the tubes are formed or to protect the tubes against attack by their contents.

One object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character which shall include a novel and improved construction and combination or means for conveying tubes step-by-step in a predetermined path and means for automaticallyinjecting a liquid coating composition into each tube as it reaches a predetermined point in said path, whereby large quantities of tubes can be coated thoroughly, rapidly and efllciently with a minimum of attention from the operator of the machine.

Another object is to provide in such a machine additional novel and improved means for injecting a jet of air or other suitable gas into each tube immediately after it has been coated so as to thoroughly spread the coating composition and to quickly eject the major portion of any-excess composition from the tube and thereby prevent any accumulation of the coating composition which might clog the neck of the tube.

The invention especially contemplates a machine of the character described wherein the tubes shall be supported on spray heads carried by a traveling conveyor, and shall be moved intermittently into a juxtaposition to a reciprocatory nozzle which shall thereupon be moved into liquid transmitting relation to said spray head for injecting a coating composition through said spray head into said tube.

Therefore, a further object of the invention is to provide in such a machine a novel and improved construction and combination of a nozzle, mean for reciprocating it in timed relation to the movement of said spray heads, and valve means for controlling the flow of a liquid through said nozzle from a source of supply of the liquid.

Another object is to provide a machine having an additional similar nozzle and valve for injecting air into each tube after the other nozzle has iniected liquid into the tube, and common means for reciprocating both said nozzles, whereby the machine shall be rapid in operation and simple in construction.

Still another object is to provide novel and improved automatic means to prevent actuation of s'id liquid-injecting nozzle in case a tube is missing from the spray head or the cap has been omitted from the tube on the spray head, where- 2 by to avoid waste of the liquid and soiling of the operators clothing or adjacent objects.

Other objects, advantages and results of the invention will be brought out by the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a machine embodying our invention, with portions broken away for clearness in illustration.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view. taken approximately on' the line 2-2 of Figure l. v

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view approximately on the line 3-301 Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scale along the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 1. q

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 4. p

Figure 6 is a similar view onthe line 6-8 0;! Flgure'i.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view on the line 'I--'! of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, on the plane of the line 8-8 of Figure 2. I

Figure 9 is ahorizontal sectional view on the line 9-9 of Figure 8. I l

Figure 10 is a fragmentary side elevational view on an enlarged scale of the proposed end of one of the tube supporting elements.

Figure 11 is a similar view observing the supporting element from a positionat to that iilustrated in Figure 10, and

FigurelZ isafragmentary transverse vertical sectional view approximately on the plane of the line l2l2 of Figure 2.

Specifically describing the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the machine includes a frame or support A the top of which is in the form of a table I above which is mounted a conveying mechanism B for the collapsible tubes, which is shown as including an endless chain 2 running on sprockets 3 and 4 which are mounted at opposite ends of the frame on the vertical shafts 5 which are journaled in the respective bearings 6 and I mounted on the frame in any suitable man ner.

It will be observed that the two reaches of the conveyor chain are in a common horizontal plane above the table I, and in accordance with the invention, the chain is power driven from an electric motor 8 through a suitable speed reducing gear 9, and a Geneva gear l0 through which a drive shaft ll is driven with an intermittent or step-by-step motion. The shaft II has a driving connection through beveled gearing I2 with a counter-shaft I3 which in turn has a driving connection through beveled gearing I 4 with the shaft 5 of the sprocket 3.,

Mounted at equidistantly spaced points along the chain 2 and projecting vertically upwardly therefrom, are a plurality of tube supporting and fluid conducting elements C each of which is adapted to support a collapsible tube to be coated. As shown, each of the elements C comprises a block I5 which is secured upon one of the links of the chain 2 in any suitable manner. Conveniently two adjacent pivot pins I6 which connect adjacent links of the chain 2 may have their upper ends extended upwardly and rigidly secured in sockets in one of the blocks I5 as best shown in Figure 8. a t

The top of each block I5 hasa screw threaded hole I1 into which is screwedabase I 8 of a hollow tube supporting pin I9 of a diameter substantially less than the diameter of the collapsible tube D which is to be coated so that the tube having its bottom end open may be easily slipped over the pin. The upper surface of the base I8 is frustoconical as indicated at and coaxial with the pin I9 so that the lower end of the collapsible tube may rest thereon. The lowe end of the base is also frusto-conical as indicated at 2i with its base juxtaposed to the base of the upper conical frustum, and slots 22 are cut longitudinally in the upper frusto-conical surface of the base and extend through the lower frusto-conical surface so that liquid wax, lacquer or other suitable matterials which have been sprayed on the interior of the walls of the collapsible tube may drain from the tube through said slots and thus prevent the accumulation of a bead of the wax around the edge of the open end of the tube. Adjacent its upper end each pin I 8 is provided with a plurality of slots 23 of any desired shape for spraying fluid injected through the pin onto the walls of the collapsible tube.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the tube supporting elements C with the tubes thereon will be conveyed with an intermittent motion through a pre-determined path. In accordance with the invention, liquid coating composition is injected into each of the tubes at a predetermined point in said path of movement of the tubes, and preferably, but not necessarily, a, jet of air or other gas is injected into each tube immediately after it has been sprayed with the coating composition for the purpose of ejecting the excess coating composition out of the upper end of the tube. Then the tubes are conveyed in succession through a heating, drying or baking chamber or tunnel where the excess coating composition is drained from the tubes and the composition remaining on the walls of the tubes is dried or baked as desired.

The mechanism for injecting the liquid and air into the tubes is generally designated E and comprises a base 24 in which are coaxially slidably mounted two supports 25 for the respective liquid and air injecting valves 26 and 21 which are identical in construction. As shown, each support comprises a slide 28 which has a dovetailed connection with one vertical side of the base 24 and from which projects a horizontal bracket 29 which has a groove 38 in the upper surface thereof for a cylindrical valve casing 3| which is held in said groove 30 by a cap 32 secured on the bracket by a cap screw 33 and having a. groove 34 juxtaposed and complemental to the groove 30,

The casing 3| of each of the liquid air injecting valves 26 and 21 has a nozzle 35 at one end formed with a fi'usto-conical head 36 to coact with a correspondingly shaped seat 31 at the outer endof a lateral opening 38 in the block I5 of each of the tube supporting elements C; and said opening 38 communicates withthe inner end of the corresponding tube supporting pin I9 so that when the head 36 of the nozzle 35 is brought into tight contact with the seat 31 of the opening 38, fluid may be injected through the valve and the opening 38 in the block I5 into the corresponding tube supporting pin I8, thence outwardly through the slots 23 in said pin onto the walls of the corresponding collapsible tube D.

The end of each valve casing 3| opposite the nozzle 35 is pivotally connected at 39 to an arm 40 on the corresponding slide 28, and the grooves 38 and 34 have greater dimensions horizontally than the diameter of the valve casings, as best shown in Figures 5 and 6, so that the valve casings and the nozzles may have a limited swinging movement in a horizontal plane, to permit the nozzles to move short distances with the blocks I5 and compensate for inaccuracies in the movement of the conveyor, thereby to ensure accurate contact of the nozzles with the seats 31.

In accordance with the invention, the seats 3'! on the blocks I5 are located on the outermost sides of the blocks and the liquid and air injecting mechanism E is disposed in juxtaposition to the outer side of one reach of chain 2 as best shown in Figure 2 with the nozzles 35 normally spaced from the blocks I5 as shown in Figures 4 and '7. In timed relation to the movement of the conveyor chain, and while the chain is stationary between steps of movement thereof, both of the supports 25 are slid toward the chain so as to cause fluidtransmitting engagement of the heads 36 of the nozzles with the seats 31 of the corresponding blocks. In this connection, it will be understood that the axis of the nozzles 35 normally will be spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the distance between the openings'38 of two adjacent blocks, and the chain will be driven in such timed relation to the reciprocation of the nozzles that at the end of each step of movement one of the blocks I5 will be in proper juxtaposition to each of the nozzles35.

Simultaneously with the completion of the fluid transmitting engagement of the nozzles and the blocks I5, valves are automatically operated to permit a-liquid coating composition to be ejected through one nozzle and air or other suitable gas to be ejected through the other nozzle.

Various mechanisms may be utilized for these purposes but the now preferred construction is shown in the drawings. The valve casing for the liquid injecting valve is connected by a pipe or hose 4| to a suitable source of liquid coating composition under pressure. while the air injecting valve is connected by a similar pipe or hose 42 to a source of compressed air. In each casing and between the connections with the respective pipes 4| and 42 and the corresponding nozzles, is a valve opening 43 which normally is closed by a valve 44 which in turn normally is seated by a spring 45 which is interposed between the casing and a valve actuating element 46 to the outer end of which is connected the corresponding nozzle 35. The valve 44 has a stem 41 which is slidably connected to the element 46 and has two spaced I abutmcnts 48 and 49 so that normally the spring 45 forces the element 45 outwardly of the valve casing into engagement with the abutment 48 and seats the valve, while when the element 45 is pushed inwardly of the casing, as by engagement of the nozzle with one of the blocks l5, the element 45 engages the abutment 49 to open the valve. For reciprocating the two supports 25, the support for the air injecting valve has integrally con-' nected thereto an arm 50 one end of which has a pin and slot connection 50a with one end of a lever 52 which is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends at 53 on the frame A and engages at its other end a cam 54 which is rigidly 'connected to' the countershaft II. A latch i is pivotally connected at 52a on the arm 50 and normally engages keeper lugs 53a on the support for the liquid injecting valve. The latch 5| when engaged with the k' eper lugs 53a causes the two supports to move together while when the latch is disengaged from the lugs 53a. the support for the air injecting valve may be moved alone.

With this construction, it will be observed that without a cap is located on the tube supporting upon rotation of the cam 54, and with the latch 5| engaging the lugs 53a, the liquid injecting valve and the air injecting valve will be moved simultaneously toward and from the juxtaposed blocks l5 on the conveyor chain, it being understood that. the cam 54 will be shaped and driven in proper timed relation to the intermittent motion of the conveyor 2. When the nozzles 35 engage the blocks, the valves 44 will be opened and liquid under pressure will be injected into one collapsible tube D while air will be injected into the next preceding collapsible tube into which liquid has been injected previously. The surplus or excess liquid which spills or is drained from the tubes will fall on the table I the upper surface of which preferably is formed with a suitable depression or catch pan from which leads a drain pipe 54a.

After the tubes have been thus coated, the conveyor moves them into a drying oven or tunnel 55 which may be heated in any suitable manner (not shown) and after the tubes have passed through said channel, they will be removed successively by an operator and new tubes to be coated will be placed on the tube supporting elements C, preferably at a location just before the tubes are subjected to the coating operation.

It may be desirable in some instances to be certain that no liquid remains in the neck of the collapsible tube, and for this purpose I may provide an opening 55 at the upper end of each tube supporting pin ill with which registers the passage through a small tube 51 which extends through the tubular pin l9 and leads outwardly through an opening 58 at the side of the corresponding block l5 opposite the opening 38. Arranged at a suitable point is an airinjecting block 59 to be frictionally engaged by the blocks l5 as they are moved by the conveyor and to cause a jet of air to be forced through each tube 51 and the opening 56 into the neck portion of the collapsible tube D that is on the supporting pin i9. As shown, the

element. This feeler mechanism comprises a shoe 53 normally overlying the position assumed by the tube supporting elements It during the coating operation and pivotally connected by parallel links 64 to a suitable fixed support such as the top wall of the channel or drying oven 55. A tension spring 65 normally influences the shoe downwardly into the path of the capped ends of tubes on the conveyor 2, and one of the links 54 has an arm 68 rigidly connected thereto which in turn is connected by a link 51 to an arm 58 which projects rigidly upwardly from the latch 5|.

In operation, normally the spring 55 actuates the shoe and the arm 56 into positions in which the latch 5| is held in engagement with the keeper lugs 53a, the shoe being held in its uppermost position against the influence of the spring 55 by the normal capped tubes passing under the shoe. Should a supporting element 0 without a tube, or with an uncapped tube pass beneath the shoe 63, the shoe 63 will be forced downwardly by the spring 65 soas to swing the latch 5| out of engagement with the keeper lugs 53a. Therefore, upon the next movement of the arm 50 toward the conveyor 2, the liquid injecting'valve will not be actuated and no liquid will be injected into the tube, supporting element that is without a tube or has thereon an uncapped tube. However, the air injecting valve will be actuated normally so as to drive out the excess coating composition from the last coated tube.

While we have shown and described the invention as embodied in certain details of construction it should be understood that this is primarily for illustrating the principles of the invention and that many modifications'and changes may be made in the details and construction of the machine within the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A machine of the character described comprising means for conveying a tube in a predetermined path including an intermittently movable conveyor having a fluid conducting device thereon extending into the tube, a fluid injecting nozzle adjacent said path and means for moving said nozzle into fluid-transmitting engagement with said device when the latter moves into juxtaposition to said nozzle.

2. A machine of the character described comprising means for conveying a tube in a predetermined path including an intermittently movable conveyor having a device thereon to conduct fluid into the tube, a fluid injecting nozzle adja cent said path and reciprocable in a direction perpendicular to said path, and means for actuating said nozzle into fluid-transmitting engagement with said device while the latter is stationary between steps of movement.

3. A machine of the character described comprising means for conveying a tube in a predetermined path including an intermittently movable conveyor having a device thereon to conduct fluid into the tube, a fluid injecting nozzle adja-- cent said path and reciprocable in a direction 7 perpendicular to said path, and means for actuating said nozzle into fluid-transmitting engagement with said device and for permitting limited movement of said nozzle with said device during said engagement.

4. A machine of the character described comprising means for conveying a tube in a predetermined path including an intermittently movable conveyor having a device thereon to conduct fluid into the tube, a fluid injecting nozzle adjacent said path and reciprocable in a direction perpendicular to said path, and means for actuating said nozzle into fluid-transmitting engagement with said device while the latter is stationary between steps of movement, and means for permitting limited movement of said nozzle in the same direction as and in the direction opposite to the direction of movement of said device while said nozzle is in contact with said device to ensure fluid-tight engagement therebetween.

5. The machine as defined in claim 1 with the addition of a valve actuated by said nozzle upon engagement thereof with said device for controlling flow of fluid through said nozzle.

6. The machine as defined in claim 2 with the addition of a valve actuated by said nozzle upon engagement thereof with said device for controlling flow of fluid through said nozzle.

7. A machine of the character described comprising a traveling conveyor, a supporting ele ment for a tube mounted on and movable by said conveyor in a predetermined path, said element having a passage to conduct fluid into said tube and opening at one end through one side thereof, means at one side of said path of movement including a nozzle reciprocable in a direction perpendicular to said Path of movement, and means for actuating said nozzle into and out of fluidtransmitting engagement with said end of said passage.

8. The machine as defined in claim 7 with the addition of a valve actuated by said nozzle to permit and stop flow of liquid through said nozzle as the latter moves into and out of said fluidtransmitting engagement, respectively.

9. The machine as defined in claim 8 wherein said conveyor moves step-by-step, and the lastnamed means is actuated in timed relation to the movement of said conveyor to cause said fluidtransmitting engagement of said nozzle with said r end of said passage while said conveyor is stationary between steps of movement.

10. The machine as defined in claim '7 wherein said conveyor moves step-by-step, and the lastnamed means is actuated in timed relation to the movement of said conveyor to cause said fluidtransmitting engagement of said nozzle with said end of said passage while said conveyor is stationary between steps of movement and with the addition of means permitting limited movement of said nozzle in opposite directions at right angles to the direction of said reciprocatory movement so as to ensure proper engagement of said nozzle with said end of said passage.

11. A machine of the character described comprising a traveling conveyor for conveying a plurality of capped collapsible tubes in succession and in spaced relation in a predetermined path and including a device for each tube to conduct a fluid into the tube, and means adjacent said path for injecting a liquid into one of said devices and for simultaneously injecting a gas into a preceding device.

12. The machine as defined in claim 11 wherein the last-named means including a pair of nozzles movable into and out of fluid-transmitting enagement with said devices, and with the addition of means normally actuated by normally capped tubes on said conveyor to cause said nozzles to move simultaneously and actuated upon the approach of one of said devices without a normally capped tube thereon to cause one of said nozzles to remain stationary.

13. The machine as defined in claim 11 wherein the last-named means including a pair of nozzles movable into and out of fluid-transmitting engagement with said devices, and with the addition of means normally actuated by normally capped tubes on said conveyor to connect said nozzles together for simultaneous movement and actuated upon the approach of one of said devices without a normally capped tube thereon to disconnect said nozzles and cause one thereof to remain stationary.

14. Apparatus for injecting a fluid into a collapsible tube comprising a tube supporting element including a block and a hollow pin projecting upwardly therefrom to extend into a tube and having openings in its walls, said block having a passage therein communicating at one end with the interior of said tube, the other end of said passage opening through one side of said block and being formed with a concave seat, and means for injecting fluid into said hollow .pin, including a nozzle having a head to engage said seat on said block with a fluid tight contact.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 with the addition of a valve normally spring-closed and actuated into open position by said nozzle when the latter is pressed against said seat, whereby to control flow of fluid through said nozzle.

16. A machine for coating the interior surfaces of collapsible tubes comprising an endless conveyor whose reaches are in a common horizontal plane, a plurality of tube supporting elements mounted on said conveyor in spaced relation whereby said elements are moved by said conveyor in uccession in a predetermined path, each aid element includin a block secured to said conveyor and having a hollow pin projecting upwardly therefrom and formed with apertures in its walls, there being a passage in said block communicating at one end with the interior of said pin and opening at its other end through one side of the block, means for moving said conveyor step-by-step, and means for injecting a liquid into each said tube including a nozzle movable into and out of fluid-transmitting engagement with said passage of one of said tube-supporting elements, while said conveyor is stationary between steps of movement, and means for causing flow of liquid through said nozzle while the latter is in said fluid-transmitting engagement.

17. A machine for coating the interior surfaces of collapsible tubes comprising an endless conveyor whose reaches are in a common horizontal plane, a plurality of tube supporting elements mounted on said. conveyor in spaced relation whereby said elements are moved by said conveyor in succession in a predetermined path, each said element including a block secured to said conveyor and having a hollow pin projecting upwardly therefrom and formed with apertures in its walls, there being a passage in said block communicating at one end with the interior of said pin and opening at its other end through one side of the block, means for moving said conveyor step-by-step, means including a pair of nozzles spaced apart in the direction of movement of said elements and movable together each into and out of engagement with the said passage in one 01 said tube-supporting elements while said conveyor is stationary between steps of movement, and means for causing flow of liquid through one 01 said nozzles and flow of gas through the other nozzle while said nozzles are in said fluid-transmitting engagement with said tube supporting elements.

18. Apparatus for injecting a fluid into a collapsible tube comprising a tube supporting element including a block and a hollow pin projecting upwardly therefrom to extend into a tube and having apertures in its walls, said block having a passage therein communicating at one end with the interior of said tube, the other end of said passage opening through one side of said block, a tube within and in spaced relation to the walls of said hollow pin and communicating at one end with one of said apertures and having 1 10 its other end opening through a side of said block other than the first-mentioned side, and means for injecting liquid into the second-mentioned end of said passage and for thereafter injectin gas into the second-mentioned end of said tube.

FREDERIC REMINGTON. RICHARD A. TARTAGLIA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

v UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

